BlazGear: Dimension Shift
by HamBone318
Summary: Two worlds collide as heroes from Blazblue and Guilty Gear clash in search of truth, revenge, honor, justice, and their way back home.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The GOD Bites Own Lip in Chagrin

In the far-off future, the world has drastically changed, due to the coming of the Gears that threatened humanity, and the Crusades that ravaged the lands several years prior. The humans have survived, though, and have rebuilt the majority of their civilizations around the globe, and have even started getting along with the products of the experiments that took place beforehand. Meta-humans, as they are often called, that resemble their human counterparts, but with enhanced abilities, extra appendages, or animal-like traits, have become as much as a part of society as the humans themselves. They live and work side-by-side, many not caring about the differences of the other species. However, there are those that hold prejudice against them, as well as against the Gears that still remain, even after the fall of Justice during the end of the Crusades.

In one of the nameless ruins of a city long-since forgotten, a solitary man walked among the rubble, an oddly-shaped sword strapped onto his back. His white hair waved in the subtle breeze as he looked around, seemingly looking around for something in the area. He tugged at his red jacket, pulling it closer to his body as he groaned in dissatisfaction. "Tch, doesn't look like anyone's here either…" he said, shaking his head. The man ran his gloved fingers through his hair, stopping to rest against a large slab of concrete. He sighed, taking a moment to look around again. "Damn… and I was hoping to find some place to get some food around here. Nothing but a dump though…" Pushing himself from his resting place, he continued to walk again. "Maybe I'll find something in the next city…" he said, trying to reassure himself as he made his way along.

Off in the distance, though, another being watched the first man from the top of a junk heap. His features were obscured by a mask, goggles, and a large hood that covered most of his head. Standing beside him was a large dog, wearing his own set of goggles similar to his master's. The dog barked excitedly, causing the man to look down and shush him. "Keep quiet boy! We don't want to let him know that we're here!" he said, patting the dog's head and turning back to watch the mysterious red-clad warrior. "I'm certain that it's him! That has to be the wanted criminal, Ragna the Bloodedge!" The hooded figure nodded to himself, before heaving himself over the junk pile and sliding down, trying to keep Ragna in his sights. His faithful companion followed suit, his tail wagging happily as he ran alongside him.

The swordsman didn't immediately notice the other man, until the shorter individual made himself known by running up to him. "Um… Excuse me!" he said nervously, getting the white-haired man's attention. Ragna turned his head and looked down at the man (seemingly no more than 5 feet tall), and quirked a curious eyebrow at him. "Huh? What the hell do you want?" he said, an irritated tone in his voice. The dog panted heavily as his master continued to fumble with his words. "W-Well, um… Would h-happen to be… R-Ragna the Bloodedge?" The warrior crossed his arms in front of his chest and smirked, curious as to how this diminutive person knew who he was. "Nope. Sorry, you've got the wrong guy…" he said, turning on his heel and starting to walk away.

The small man ran up again, holding a piece of paper in his hand. "B-But… this picture looks just like you!" Ragna stopped, then turned and snatched the paper from the stranger. A crudely drawn wanted poster, with Ragna's picture on it, stared back at the white-haired man. "What the-? Seriously, do they make these things ugly on purpose? At least give me a little bit of credit!" "Aha! So you are Ragna the Bloodedge!" the smaller person chimed in, his dog adding an excited bark. Ragna paused, stifling his anger for the time being, after realizing that he had just given himself away. He sighed, balling up the poster and tossing it over his shoulder, before grabbing the hilt of his large sword. "Alright, here's the deal… We start fighting, I threaten to tear off your limbs, and you run off screaming like a little girl… Okay?" As Ragna opened his eyes, he saw the little man running off with his dog again. "Uhh, hold that thought! We'll be right back!" he shouted, disappearing behind another pile of rubble. Ragna blinked bemusedly before reseating his sword into its straps. "Huh… Well, that was easy enough…" he said, shrugging his shoulders and turning to walk off again. Suddenly, he felt the ground around him rumble, and he stopped to look around again. Then, the rubble that the mysterious stranger had ran behind was torn down, revealing a huge beast of some sort. Ragna stepped back cautiously, his eyes widened with surprise. The beast unleashed an earth-shaking roar, before opening its mouth wide to reveal the man and his dog sitting inside it. "Now, what were you saying again, Mr. Ragna the Bloodedge?"

The red-clad warrior could only think of one thing to say at this point.

"O-Ohh…. Sh-Shit!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Rebellion

Ragna backed away slowly, trying to put some distance between him and the behemoth that stood before him. To say that he was caught off guard by the sight of this monstrosity, especially considering the small stature of the human controlling it, would be the understatement of the century. The white-haired man gritted his teeth as a bead of sweat rolled down his face. He knew running away wouldn't be the best of ideas, not like it was really an option. He didn't know what kind of abilities that this thing had. Then again, it wasn't the most terrifying battle he had been a part of. With that in mind, Ragna steeled himself and grasped the hilt of his sword again, firmly digging his heels into the ground. In one quick motion, the man known far and wide as the "Grim Reaper" dashed forward, removing his sword from its resting place and slashing the huge beast right at its stomach. However, instead of being greeted by the sound of steel cutting through flesh, his blade was repelled by the creature's body and sent flying from his hand behind him. "Wh-What!" he said, looking back at his sword as it pierced the ground a few meters away from him.

He turned around to face the beast again, and was met with one of its huge paws knocking him back. Ragna landed heavily on his back, knocking the wind out of him for a few seconds. Not wanting to take too much time to recover, the Grim Reaper pulled himself to his feet, seeing his opponent trudging along towards him at a slow pace. Taking the opportunity, he dashed and leapt towards his sword, grasping it again as he rolled and faced the monster. He looked up at the strange man and his dog, both of which seemed to be excited about all of this. "Isn't this great, boy? Our very first bounty!" the shrouded man said to his companion, who responded with a pleased bark. Ragna's eye twitched, as he ducked behind a pile of rubble. "You've gotta be kidding me! Their FIRST bounty?" he said to himself, peeking around his hiding place. "Where the hell did he get that thing anyway? I know I cut it, but it wasn't even dented! It's almost like that thing is a fully armored tank!" His thoughts were cut short, however, as the beast tore through the rubble pile with relative ease, causing Ragna to recoil and dash away.

"Dammit, just running around it isn't getting me anywhere! I gotta find some way to bring it down!" The red-clad fighter ran around in circles, ducking behind any cover he could find to catch his breath. He peeked around again, just as another set of huge claws destroyed the barrier. "Shit!" Ragna jumped up and away, trying to reach higher ground. Once he did, he noticed something he could see from the ground. The cloaked figure inside the beast's head was beating on some sort of ceremonial drum, seemingly able to control it with different beats and rhythms. The dog started barking erratically once it saw Ragna above them, alerting his master of his position. "Aha! There you are!" he said, tapping the drum again. "Oh no you don't, you short bastard!" Ragna jumped from his perch and dove down, directing his sword towards the operator. "BELIAL'S EDGE!" As he attacked, his opponent had finished with his command, which forced the creature to raise its paw and slam it onto the ground, causing a wall to appear from the ground and form between the two of them. Ragna grimaced as his attack was intercepted by the wall, causing him to be repelled back onto the ground, a good distance away from the stranger.

Ragna got back up again, his face holding an expression of evident frustration. "Alright then… Can't get close enough to attack him, so I'll just have to keep away from him. Seems easy enough…" he said, returning to his feet and staring down the tank-like behemoth as it approached him. Then, just as the shrouded fellow finished another beat, his monstrous chariot reared a fist back and punched forward, sending a sonic boom-like energy blast towards Ragna. "You're shitting me…" was all that Ragna could say before rolling out of the way, avoiding the ball of energy as it collided with the ground and exploding. He recovered, seeing the monstrosity still coming towards him. "That thing has projectiles too! Dammit, I can't attack from long range either!" he said, looking around frantically as he slowly backed against a wall, watching as the giant creature marched towards him still. "Gotta think of something fast… Can't let it end like this!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Ride on Time

Ragna was out of ideas, and now backed against a wall with his aggressor slowly closing in on him. He looked around hurriedly, trying to think of something else, something that could possibly help him. "Dammit… It can't end like this! This just… isn't fair!" He knew he had dealt with tougher challenges before, but this encounter was something he was not prepared for. "I can't use the Azure to get me out of this… Don't know what'll happen if I do…" he said to himself, trying to think quickly. He realized, however, that he was too late. The bounty hunter was nearly on top of him, staring down from his perch inside the behemoth's mouth. "No hard feelings, Mr. Ragna the Bloodedge… but a bounty's a bounty, and we could sure use the money!" the shrouded man said, earning a bark of agreement from his dog. Ragna grimaced as he thought of what might happen to him now. 'Shit shit shit! Here I am, in some random ass deserted city, about to be captured by a weird midget and his dog!' he thought, another bead of sweat rolling down his face.

Off in the distance, only a couple hundred meters away from Ragna, two more figures came into view. One of them, the one having short blond hair and a patch over his right eye, blinked as he caught sight of the white-haired swordsman being cornered by the monstrous beast. "Hey, Sol?" he said, waving over his companion. "You better take a look at this." The other man, with spikey brown hair and a red metal headband, looked over in the direction his partner directed him at. "Huh… Seems like that guy's gotten himself in a bit of trouble with that gear, huh?" he said, popping his neck as he looked at the situation. "So, should we help 'im?" the first man said, placing his flagstaff on his shoulder and quirking an eyebrow. "I suppose so… the guy looks scared shitless…" The larger man, grasping the hilt of his oddly-shaped sword, ran towards the battle at top speed, his crimson jacket flapping in the wind behind him. "Hey, wait up ya geezer!" the blond shouted, eventually catching up and passing his larger friend. "I can take this guy myself! Just sit back and watch the fireworks, old man!" "… Old man? Tch, alright then…"

The red-jacketed brunette slowed to a halt, smirking as he watched his partner dash at the two others at high speed, twirling his flagstaff around and gathering energy as he neared. The bounty hunter commanded his beast to lift its huge paw up, ready to strike Ragna, but then noticed a white blur rushing towards them. "Hm? What's this now…?" He then changed the command, forcing the beast to fire another sonic blast, directed at the blond male. Ragna winced as the attack happened, but slowly opened his eyes to see that the attack was not at him. The blond grinned, his emerald green eye narrowing as the blast drew closer to him. Then, after charging a mass of red lightning in his staff, he struck the sphere of energy, dissipating it with little difficulty. "Heh, that all you got?" he said, continuing his mad dash towards the two. The bounty hunter started to panic as this new warrior drew near, and commanded his behemoth to try and crush the newcomer. However, the blond simply used his staff to vault over the beast's paw, sailing in the air over the creature's head. "BEAK DRIVER!" He then charged more energy into his staff, and forced it down directly at the drum that the man was using to control the beast.

The creature's mouth exploded in a burst of red lightning, after which the towering behemoth fell to the ground, silenced for good. Ragna stared in disbelief, wondering what had happened just now. Once the smoke had cleared, he could see the blond standing over the masked bounty hunter and his dog, both of which were on the ground, trembling in fear at the stranger. "I-I-I-I'm s-sorry! I-I'll never d-do it a-again!" he cried, shaking in his boots. His dog whimpered as well, looking up at the lad with a sad expression. "I-I'm not even a real bounty hunter! I'm just a j-junk trader! Please, spare me!" After a few more minutes of groveling, the blond man let the masked stranger and his dog go, sending them running for their lives out of the city. He chuckled for a bit, then turning his attention towards Ragna, a friendly expression on his face. "You okay, pal?" he said, offering a hand. "The name's Sin. Who're you?" Ragna looked at the male, cautiously reaching out to shake his hand. "Ragna. And, uh… thanks for the help…" The white-haired man wasn't usually good at thanking someone, but he felt it was appropriate this time.

The blond's partner eventually walked up, casually joining the two others and staring at the felled beast. The cocky staff wielder grinned wide as he saw his companion appear. "Hey Sol, didja see? I told you I could take it on my own!" he said, clapping a hand on the man's shoulder. Sol glanced at Sin from the corner of his eye, almost a hint of dissatisfaction in his gaze. "Took you a while, Sin…" he said, brushing the hand from his red jacket. Sin simply huffed, then turned back to Ragna. "This grump's name is Sol. I've been with him most'a my life, and he's taught me everything I know!" Ragna blinked, watching the brunette swordsman as he inspected the empty carcass. He didn't quite know why, but something about this man seemed all too familiar. He shrugged it off for the moment, and joined Sol as he looked at the behemoth. "So, you know what this thing is?" he said, casting a gaze at Sol. The brunette nodded, and then turned back to Ragna. "Yeah, I do… What's got me wondering, though, is why you DON'T know…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Premonition

Ragna quirked an eyebrow at Sol, who had a seemingly accusing tone in his question. "How the hell would I know? I've never seen anything like this before!" he said defensively, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Sol looked back at his partner, who was taking his time surveying the area for any other people or creatures that could be considered hostile. Sol then clicked his tongue and glared back at the white-haired man. "Have you been living under a rock for the past two hundred years then? Everyone in the world knows what Gears are…" he said, his voice sounding a bit aggravated now. "Gears? What, like some sort'a machine or something?" Ragna said in turn, looking back at the felled beast. "So, that… thing is supposed to be a robot?" Sol shook his head, sighing in disbelief. "Not quite. I'll explain it to you, since you don't seem to have any idea at all." As Sol was about to start, Sin returned with a smile on his face. "A history lesson? C'mon Sol, we don't have time for that…" "Just a summary, so he can get up to speed." Sin shrugged his shoulders, then casually sat on the monster's arm that now lay on the ground.

Ragna groaned and tapped his foot, feeling like they were trying to make him sound stupid or something. Sol stabbed the end of his sword into the ground and crossed his arms as well, staring down Ragna. "Well, basically… Gears are a product of experimentation using both science and magic. Magic, as you know, being an infinite power source, granted these Gears power beyond human understanding… and control." Sol paused and sighed, still looking at Ragna. "You understand, right?" Ragna scratched his head, a confused look on his face. "Magic? You sure about that?" he said, chuckling a bit to himself. "I know about Ars Magus, but magic is just fantasy bullshit… It doesn't really exist! You don't expect me to believe that 'magic' is what gives these things power, right?" Sol blinked, then narrowed his eyes in frustration. "You can't be serious…" he said, stepping closer to Ragna, who in turn backed up slowly. "Hey, what's the deal?" Ragna said, backing up again. "Tell me… What's your name?" "My name? I told you already! The name's Ragna!" "Okay, now… what year is it?" "The year...? 2199, of course…"

Sol paused again, then stood back and shook his head, smirking to himself. "Hmph… Just as I thought…" Sin soon stood up and joined his comrade, looking up at him. "What is it?" "Yeah! What's just as you thought?" Ragna was getting frustrated as well, thinking that the brunette swordsman was keeping something from him. Sol looked back at the young warrior, his eyes seemingly burning into him. "It's the year 2187. You saying that it's 2199 obviously throws up some red flags." Ragna blinked and looked around. "2187? So, you're thinking that… I went backwards in time or something?" "It's highly possible. Maybe Gears don't exist 12 years from now. Trust me, you aren't the only time traveler I've met in my life." Sol sighed, then started to step away to investigate the dead Gear some more. Ragna rubbed his head again, partially unable to believe that he was in another time. "Damn… Now that I think about it, the last thing I remember before showing up in this city was fighting against—" "Hey uh, guys?" Sin said, interrupting Ragna's train of thought. "Look at this." he said, holding up a piece of paper with Ragna's picture on it. "Oh, yeah…" Ragna said, rubbing his head again. "That guy in the Gear… thing… showed me that. Apparently I have a bounty on my head in this time period as well…" "Yeah, but that's not all…" Sin continued, pulling out two more wanted posters, with both his and Sol's pictures on them. "You're not the only one Rags…" Sol snatched the poster with his picture on it from Sin, glaring down at it. "Well, my guess is… whoever it was that possibly brought you here, brought you here for a reason… and they're going to this length to find you… and for some reason, they want us as well…" "So, what are we gonna do?" Sin chimed in. "What else? We're gonna find the bastard and put 'im in his place…" Sol said, grasping the poster in his fist, setting it on fire as he held it. "Let's get going. You too, tourist." he said, looking over his shoulder at Ragna as he started walking off. "T-Tourist? Who the hell are you calling tourist?" "What, you don't want me to show you around? In that case, I could just leave your ass here for another Gear-driving bounty hunter to find you…" "Tch… Dammit…" Ragna sighed as he joined up with Sol and Sin, moving on to search for their pursuer.

Unknown to them, however, was that they were being watched. Off in an unknown location, several people were gathered in front of a large monitor, watching the three warriors as they travelled along.

"Aww~! Raggy found some new friends! Isn't that sweet~?"

"Honestly Hazama, are you always this irritating?"

"Come on now! Can't you have a little bit of fun?

"Gentlemen… Now is not the time for meaningless bickering. Our quarry draws near."

"I can already tell… these three will make excellent subjects for research…"

"Mmh, yeah… I wonder if ol' Freddie will remember me at all. It's been so~ long!"

"You will have your time, I-No… For now, we will wait to see where they go and what they will do…"

The figures continued to watch, some impatiently, as the three wandered on, oblivious to what lies ahead for them. They would soon find out, however, that things are not as simple as they seem.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Nothing Out of the Ordinary

It was dark. Nothing could be seen anywhere for miles it seemed. A young, blonde haired woman wandered around aimlessly, trying to find her way back. Black clouds swirled ominously in the crimson sky, red mist lingering along the ground, obscuring anything that would be in the immediate area. The girl panted as she desperately searched for an exit. She felt trapped, as if in a cage with no way out. "H-Hello…?" she called out, her voice disappearing within the mist. "Is anybody there?" Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her, and she turned around to see who it was. Her eyes widened when her gaze fell upon a tall, dark figure, dressed in a black robe and holding a scythe in his hands. The girl tried to move away, but she felt like she was paralyzed, frozen in fear of this being. The figure's blood red eyes seemed to pierce right through her very soul, as he lifted the scythe above his head. "There is no Hell… only darkness!" With that, the robed man swung his scythe down, striking at the poor girl. She screamed in terror, but her cries were cut short as she blacked out…

Just then, the girl opened her eyes. She was no longer in that odd place. Rather, she was lying in a bed, staring up at the ceiling of what seemed to be a small house. She slowly pulled herself into a seated position, wiping the sweat that had accumulated on her forehead. "It was… just a dream…?" she said to herself, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. The blonde looked around the room, trying to get her bearings on where she was. It was relatively quaint, with small trinkets and pictures decorating the majority of the room. She had noticed another bed next to the one she sat in. "Where… am I?" Soon, a middle-aged man stepped into the room, holding a cup of hot tea and smiling down at the girl. "Oh good, you're awake. I was starting to wonder if you would wake up at all." He chuckled at his failed attempt at humor, and then sat on the edge of the bed along with the girl. "Here, I made this for you if you were to wake up. It should help you feel better." The girl took the white mug, placing it to her lips and sipping the hot liquid inside. "It's really good. Thank you, sir…" she said meekly.

"It's no trouble at all, young miss!" he replied cheerfully, sipping from his own cup of tea. "You've been unconscious for a few days since we found you, but there's no telling how long you've been out for!" The girl blinked her emerald green eyes, staring up at the older man. "R-Really?" "Yep! We had the village doctor look at you, and he said that you were fine… just sleeping, really." The girl was now a tad nervous, wondering why she had just passed out in an unfamiliar area. 'Did the dream have something to do with this?' she thought to herself. The man chuckled again, patting the girl on her back. "Ah, it's alright though. We don't mind taking care of you! Say, do you remember your name?" She looked back up at him again. "Yes… My name is Noel Vermilion, and I'm a lieutenant of the Novus Orbis Librarium." The young lady then tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear, a nervous expression on her face. She didn't know how this man would react to her working for the Librarium. Many people didn't exactly agree with their methods or regulations. In fact, some people were even hostile towards them, attacking officers upon even hearing that they are affiliated with the NOL.

The man blinked curiously, quirking an eyebrow at the blonde girl. "Noel, eh? That's a pretty name… I've never heard of that kind of company before, and I certainly wouldn't have pegged you for a librarian…" He rubbed his scruffy chin as he thought more on it, and Noel simply stared at him with a dumbfounded look. 'Had he never heard of the NOL before? Is that even possible?' She couldn't believe the thought of one of the largest military organizations in the world being unknown to anyone. 'This must be a really small village then…' After a few more moments, the man simply smiled and stood up from the bed, taking both cups, now empty, and started walking out of the room. "Well, no matter… It's good that you're up, and that your memory seems to be intact. Your clothes are right over there…" he said, pointing to a dresser on the other end of the room. "Feel free to relax all you want, though. I don't expect the boys to be back anytime soon." The older man chuckled, then turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

After a little while longer, Noel had exited the room, fully dressed in her NOL uniform. She wandered around the house, tucking the last few strands of hair into her beret. The man of the house found her, smiling as he was tying on an apron. "Ah, you're up! If you'd like, you can come by the bakery and meet my wife. My son Michael might be there as well." Noel's eyes darted around nervously, not sure what to think. The man suddenly perked up again though. "Oh, I almost forgot!" he said, going over to a cupboard at the other end of the room. He opened the wooden doors, then pulled out two thin revolvers and handed them to Noel. "These were found along with you. I hope you don't mind others touching them…" "No, it's alright…" she replied, taking the weapons in her hands and observing them. "I'm just glad to have them back now. Thank you, sir!" She smiled warmly, warranting another grin from the father of the house. "Of course! We couldn't just leave you out there, y'know!" The man then started towards the door. "C'mon, I'll show you around the village for a little bit. What do you say?"

Noel smiled and bowed in respect. "Thank you very much. I'd like a little tour of your village!" She chuckled lightly, before following the man out the door and into the sunlit village.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Simple Life

Noel headed out into the village, following the man that had been watching over her as she slept for the past few days. As she looked around, she noticed children playing while the older folks worked. Either way, the villagers seemed happy to do whatever they were doing. It was a small village, but it was relatively pleasant to say the least. "This is a nice village, mister… Uh…" she said, blushing lightly for not knowing the man's name. The older individual turned his head and looked over at her over his shoulder. "Oh, the name's Jonas! Sorry for not telling you sooner." he said with a grin, before looking ahead again. Noel nodded and smiled, continuing to look around a bit more. "Thank you for showing me around, Mister Jonas." "It's no trouble at all, Miss Vermilion! And please, just call me Jonas! No need for formalities around here." The blonde girl giggled, enjoying the sunlight that beamed through the clouds as they made their way through the village towards the man's bakery. "This weather is really nice… Certainly something you don't get too often in Kagutsuchi." "Is that so? Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want, Noel."

After a short tour of the village, Jonas had brought Noel to his bakery, leading her inside and letting her get a good look at the interior. "Well, here it is! The family business!" he said with a chuckle. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted in the air, which was quite pleasing to Noel's senses as soon as she stepped in. "Mmm~ It smells delicious!" she said, sniffing the air again. "Thanks! I'm quite proud of how this little shop of mine came along!" Jonas smiled, and then led her into the back, where a blonde woman and a teenage boy were working. "This is my wife, Celia, and our son Michael. Celia, this is Noel." he said, waving his hand over to the two that were working. The wife turned her head and looked over at Noel. "Oh, so you're finally awake! It's nice to meet you, young miss." The young boy smiled and walked over to Noel, holding his hand out for a friendly handshake. "Hey, nice to meet'cha!" Noel smiled nervously, accepting the handshake and bowing politely. "Th-Thank you… The pleasure is all mine!" Jonas chuckled to himself, then turned to his son. "Michael, have you seen your brother at all?" The lad's face turned serious as he looked up at his father. "No, he hasn't come back yet." The man sighed, then turned to Noel. "Well, I suppose the life of a bounty hunter is a busy one, hm?" Noel blinked and looked back up at him. "A… bounty hunter?" "Well, yes… He claims it's to prove his manhood to the world." He smiled down at her again. "I really wish he could be around to meet you, though. He may be a couple years younger than you, but I think you two would get along great!" Noel smiled, chuckling nervously as she turned her head to look away. 'I really hope he's not planning on arranging a marriage or something… Oh dear…' she thought to herself, sweating at the very thought of it.

Meanwhile, in a heavily forested area outside of the village, a young boy, dressed in a black tanktop and white trousers, was seated on a short tree stump, flipping through a stack of papers with his legs crossed. Despite being male, his figure was rather feminine. Anyone that gave a quick glance would surely be mistaken. However, the young male would simply take it all in stride. He had grown accustomed to it, actually. Being raised as a girl for most of his life, he didn't have much of a choice. Still, nowadays he wished he could do something about how slender his arms and legs were. Running a hand through his blonde hair, he sighed and shook his head, looking up into the forest around him. "We've certainly got a lot of bounties to go through… Which one do you think we should start with, Roger?" The boy said, turning his head to his side, where a seemingly normal teddy bear was seated on the ground next to him. The bear, though motionless, had a stack of papers of its own in its paws, as if looking through the bounties as well. The boy groaned, then sat straight up again as he flipped through his own stack again, casually tossing a yo-yo up and down beside him as he looked.

After another moment or two, he raised an eyebrow, looking at one page in particular. "Hm… How about this one?" he said, setting his toy down and pulling the page from the stack to show Roger. The bear's head slowly turned, looking up at the paper with an expressionless face. The lad set the rest of the pages down as he stood up, gazing at the picture more. "'Noel Vermilion', it says… Huh, for having such a girly name, her picture kinda makes her look like a guy…" He then turned back to his stuffed companion and laughed. "Kind of ironic, wouldn't you say?" He laughed out loud again, before stuffing the page with Noel's bounty in his pocket and stretching, interlacing his fingers behind his head. "Alright, let's get going, Roger!" The teddy bear nodded, standing up and grabbing the two stacks of wanted posters before stuffing them in his own 'secret compartment' (I won't say where, though) and turning to his master. The lad then bent over, grabbing his yo-yo and tossed it around a bit more, before walking along through the wooded area. "Now let's see… where would a good place to start looking for this lady be?" he said, casually glancing down at Roger. The bear shrugged, then stopped and turned its head, as if hearing something in the distance. The boy stopped as well, looking down at the bear. "Huh? What is it?"

As they looked deeper into the forest, a shrouded figure came into view. Wearing a black cloak, along with a matching beret, the figure slowly made its way towards the duo. Eventually, the figure came close enough for the lad to see that it was female. The woman's brown hair hung down from the sides of her face, and her chestnut colored eyes scanned the area as she walked along. The thing that caught the boy's attention the most, though, was the large, bushy, squirrel-like tail that bounced along behind the woman. "Well… That's something you don't see everyday…" he said, blinking bemusedly at the sight of the squirrel-woman. As the stranger walked closer, the lad wrapped his hands behind his head and casually stepped towards her, looking to meet her on the way. Eventually, the squirrel-person stopped and saw the blonde teenager, smiling as she walked over to him. "Oh, hi there~!" she said, a friendly tone in her voice. The boy nodded, offering his own smile to her. "You seem a bit lost, lady. Need any help?" he asked. She looked around a bit and answered with an unsure expression on her face. "Uh, maybe? I dunno…"

The lad chuckled, then offered a hand up to her. "The name's Bridget! Can I ask what you're lookin' for?" The woman blinked twice, before taking the hand in her own and shaking it. "Call me Makoto! And, um… I was just looking for my friends. Any chance you could have seen them?" The boy, calling himself Bridget, smiled up at the woman again. "Well, what do they look like?" "Well… There's Tsubaki, who's got long red hair, and deep blue eyes…" She paused in thought, her tail twitching behind her. "Then there's Noel, who's got blonde hair, kinda like yours, and she has green eyes…" Bridget's smile slowly faded, his mind processing what he had just heard. "Did… Did you just say 'Noel?'" he asked, cautiously pulling the wanted poster from his pocket. Makoto nodded, looking down at him curiously. "Yeah… Why?" The blonde lad unfolded the poster, looking down at the picture. Sure enough, blonde hair, green eyes… "Uh… Is this your friend?" He then held up the paper for Makoto to see. The brunette scanned the page, her eyes widening in surprise. "Wh-What? She has a bounty? And such a big one at that…" she said, partially with disbelief.

The boy shoved the paper back into his pocket, then looked back up at her and crossed his arms. "Well, I'm on the hunt for her myself. I have to turn her in and get the bounty…" he said, almost nonchalantly. "I hope you understand. It's to help my village out. Nothing personal, I mean…" Makoto shook her head, giving Bridget a displeased look. "Are you kidding? I can't let you just arrest my friend and turn her in!" Her cheeks started to turn red, showing her frustration with the kid. "If you wanna take down Noel, you'll have to go through me first!" With that, she grabbed her black cloak, tossing it to the side and revealing her (rather scanty) orange and black uniform, along with her tonfa-like weapons attached to her wrists. Bridget smiled, then pulled out both of his yo-yos and twirled them playfully in front of him. "Well, since you're in cahoots with this Noel person… You might have a bounty too! I can't pass that up!" He then jumped back, taking a battle stance along with Roger. "Don't feel bad, though… It's for a good cause! Now, don't resist too much, or else it'll only hurt worse!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Crash and Burn

After a few moments of intense staring between the two, the sounds of the ensuing battle resonated through the forest, accompanied by the sound of falling trees caused by the confrontation. Makoto dashed around, bobbing and weaving to avoid Bridget's yo-yo attacks, while throwing powerful punches at her opponent. Bridget deftly dodged each blow, nimbly bounding around while swinging his yo-yo around him. Both combatants were hell-bent on bringing each other down, for their own reasons. Makoto simply wished to protect her friend Noel, while Bridget wanted to bring Noel in for her bounty. "I won't let you touch a hair on Noel!" Makoto shouted, still throwing blows tirelessly and with furious power. Bridget hopped up onto a tree branch, attempting to catch his breath. "Wow, you're pretty good!" he said, giving Makoto a faint thumbs-up and a smile. "Still, it's not quite good enough!" He then tossed his yo-yo towards his teddy bear, attaching the toys to a device in the bear's stomach. "Roger! Punch Formation!" He then whipped the bear around on his yo-yo string, flinging it towards Makoto. The bear's hands seemed to enlarge as it then started to punch wildly at the squirrel beastkin.

Surprised, Makoto threw her arms up defensively, trying to block the oncoming punches as best as she could. "Man! For a stuffed bear, it sure packs a wallop!" she said to herself, a bead of sweat rolling down her face. The barrage of attacks seemed never ending, as if Roger had a limitless supply of energy. Bridget simply sat down on the tree branch, crossing his legs as he watched the fight with a smile on his face. "Oh, just give up already!" he called out to the busty squirrel. "You're not gonna win." Makoto, getting frustrated with the situation, jumped back and took a boxer's stance. "That's it! I'm gonna pummel you, you little brat!" She then dashed forward towards the bear, unleashing a barrage of punches of her own, matching Roger blow for blow with her fists. "Rolling Thunder!" With a fierce right, she struck the bear across the face, sending it flying away from the yo-yo, and from Bridget's control. "Aw, darn… It was getting good too." Bridget said, nonchalantly hopping down from the branch onto the ground again. "Oh well. I got the rest I needed anyway." Makoto's sweat dropped again, realizing that she had spent a lot of energy against a decoy while her opponent was getting a breather.

The blond-haired lad playfully twirled his yo-yos again, before dropping them both to the ground, causing them to spin along the ground. He then jumped on top of them, speeding towards Makoto with blinding speed. The tired beastkin was unable to react in time, as the boy leapt up and planted the yo-yos directly in her face with a tremendous kick, sending her reeling back. She caught herself, flipping back onto her feet into a defensive posture again, panting heavily as she regained her balance. Bridget only smiled, twirling his yo-yo again as he slowly walked towards the enemy. "You're not too bad, I guess…" he said, stopping and grasping his weapon in his hand. "… but it's time I put an end to this!" He then flung his yo-yo towards her, the string wrapping around her waist and catching her off guard again. The boy hoisted his string back, yanking Makoto around and swinging her around his head. "For my final trick… Shoot the Moon!" With a mighty swing, he flung Makoto through the trees, rocketing her into the sky and out of sight. After that, he merely dusted his hands off and made his way back towards Roger lay on the ground. "Well, no bounty from that… but now I don't have to worry about—"

His statement was cut short, as he felt an acorn hitting him on the top of his head. He looked up, seeing Makoto grasping onto a branch for dear life, her tail completely straight and her fur on end, a despaired expression on her face. "Oh, so that's how it's gonna be?" Bridget grinned, tossing his yo-yo over to Roger, attaching it to the bear's stomach again. "Roger, Saw Formation!" With that, he tossed the stuffed bear towards the trunk of the tree that Makoto was clinging to, a circular saw appearing from Roger's waist. The saw sliced through the tree, causing it to fall to the ground. Makoto jumped off, rolling away from the tree as it crashed onto the ground, then looked up at the blond with a sour look on her face. "I've just about had with you!" she said, gritting her teeth in frustration. The boy simply shrugged. "Well c'mon then, bring it! I'll put you down for good if that's what you want!"

Just then, the two fighters heard more footsteps coming through the brush towards them. "Bridget!" a burly voice called out, as an older man came into view. With the man, a young blond woman stepped into the area, adjusting the beret on her head. "Makoto!" she called out, waving to the squirrel girl. "Noel!"

"Noel?"

"Bridget?"

"Bridget!"

"Dad!"

"Makoto?"

"Noel?"

"Alright, that's enough!" the man cried out, ceasing the senseless name calling and hushing the group. "Young man, what have I told you about startin' fights so close to the village?" "Wait, young… man?" Makoto looked over at Bridget with a confused look on her face. "You mean to tell me… you're a boy?" Noel blinked in confusion as well, stupefied upon realizing that the man's other son looked rather… feminine. "Eh, eheheh…" Bridget chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I, uh… I forget that some people don't realize that!" Bridget's father brought a hand up to his face, sweat rolling down his face. Bridget's gaze then locked on Noel, his eyes widening as he realized who she was. "Wait, that's Noel? You mean she was here the whole time?" Noel looked over at the lad, wondering how he knew her. "Well, if you came home every now and again, you woulda known that!" his father said. "Don't even think about it!" Makoto chimed in. "You're still not getting any bounty from my friend!" "Bounty?" Noel brought a hand up to her mouth in surprise."Don't worry about that, Noel…" Bridget's father said, lightly bonking his son on the head with his fist. "Bridget ain't gettin' any bounty from you… RIGHT?" "Uh… Y-Yes sir…" Bridget looked down, an expression of disappointment on his face. Makoto then walked over to Noel, wrapping her arm around her friend's neck. "Well, I'm glad I found you. Now we can get outta here!" "R-Right…" Noel said, chuckling nervously at her friend's enthusiasm. She then turned to the man that had brought her to the area. "Thanks for looking after me, sir!" "Eh, it's no trouble at all! Remember, you're always welcome back to our village, Noel!"

However, unknown to the group, another band of mysterious persons were watching them, gazing into a screen in some sort of secret lab.

"So, you say she's worth the trouble?"

"Of course. Her body houses power even unknown to her."

"Sounds fun… Want me to fetch her for you?"

"I'd rather you not, I-No…"

"Aww~ Why not?"

"Honestly… you don't exactly have the best track record for retrieving what I ask…"

"… So?"

"Just… no."

"Well then, who will you be sending… 'master?'"

"Hmm…. Raven and the captain are already on another hunt, and the good professor needs time to work on his own experiments… However, I do have one other operative that I can send…"

The trio walked through the darkened lab, passing through a mechanical door and entering another room, which was dimly lit with a bluish light emanating from a large glass tube in the middle of the room. Inside the tube was a darkened figure, floating in a strange liquid, seemingly in suspended animation, waiting to be let free.

"We'll send him to fetch her… After all, a promise is a promise…"


	8. Chapter 8

(( A/N: Finally, after nearly three years of hiatus, I got around to writing the next chapter. Sorry to keep you waiting! ))

Chapter 8: Continuum Shift

Night had settled on the outskirts of another set of ruins. A lone campfire could be seen from a distance, the only source of light in the area. Ragna and Sin were settled by the flame, keeping warm after a small meal that the group had scrounged together from when they first ran into each other. Sol was perched atop a small pile of rubble, overlooking the black emptiness that surrounded them in the night, the smoke from his evening cigarette escaping his lips every so often. It was his version of silent meditation, as he would explain to others.

After finishing his food, Sin looked over at Ragna, who had finished his some time before. "That was great, Ragna!" he said, very much enjoying his meal. "For not having many ingredients, it sure hit the spot!" The white-haired man grinned as he replied to the compliment. "Thanks. My master taught me how to cook like that, along with other basic survival skills." The Grim Reaper leaned back, supporting his body's weight with his hands on the ground, and looked up at the starry sky above them. "I wonder how everything's going back in my time…"

The blonde man gazed at Ragna, wondering how he could have appeared in his time like he did. His emerald eye caught something else that he hadn't previously noticed before, though. The light reflecting in Ragna's eyes left a very obvious trait about him that Sin couldn't help but ask about.

"Heterochromia?"

"The hell'd you just call me?!" Ragna replied accusingly.

"No, no!" the man in white responded, bringing his hands up defensively. "I'm talking about your eyes, how they're different colors."

"…Oh. Right." Ragna cleared his throat, a little embarrassed that he didn't know the word that described his unique eyes. His left eye was a brilliant green, much like Sin's good eye, and it helped identify others with his younger brother. His right eye, however, was crimson red in hue, similar to the shade of his jacket. The male looked down, wrapping his left hand around his right forearm, the primary source of his altered state. "It's a long story, and I'm sure you're not interested in hearing…" he said, but was cut short by Sin's enthusiastic reply. "I've got nothing but time, bro!" Sin rested his arms on his knees, patiently waiting for what Ragna had to say.

"Tch, suit yourself." Ragna chuckled, then began his story. "Well, when I was still a kid, the church that my siblings and I stayed at was burned to the ground… a man had come by and attacked the place, killing the sister that had been watching over us." He paused as he inhaled a deep breath, then continued. "I lost my right arm that day, and later I woke up to it being replaced by… by this." he said, lifting his right hand up to eye level. "It's called the Azure Grimoire. It's a powerful artifact that's able to change shape. It grants whoever wields it amazing power, but at the cost of one's life force." The white-haired individual left out the part about having to take the souls of others in order to sustain the grimoire, and keep himself alive in the process. "In all honesty, though, the one I have is an imitation… the real one belongs to someone named Yuuki Terumi, the guy that created the Azure."

Sin nodded as Ragna explained his background, only speaking up when a pause was given. "So… what is this 'grimoire', exactly? Like, what is it made of?" "Well…" Ragna's eyes darted around as he tried to word his explanation correctly. "… Pretty much, it's made of a high concentration of Seithr, which came in abundance after the Black Beast was destroyed…" Sin blinked, a dumbfounded look spread across his face. "Seithr? The Black Beast? What is all that?" he asked innocently. Sol, still sitting in the distance, could hear the conversation, and turned his head to listen more directly as he finished his cigarette, tossing the still-hot butt to the ground next to him.

Ragna raised an eyebrow. There was no way that he couldn't know what the Black Beast was. It was basic human history. "Seriously?! You never heard of the Black Beast? Doesn't the term 'Dark War' ring any bells in there?" The blonde shook his head, and his partner finally walked up to join them by the campfire. "You're kidding, right? That was just under a hundred years ago!" Ragna added, still confused by the lack of common knowledge between these two. Sol stepped forward, cutting the Reaper off before he could continue. "There was no Dark War… only the Crusades, which was a war between Gears and humans that lasted one hundred years." he said, his eyes commanding the attention and respect of the other two men there. "It all started when Justice, the first complete Gear, appeared and declared that the entire human race was to be extinguished."

Ragna didn't say anything. Rather, he thought quietly to himself, trying to piece together all of the information he had just heard. Never before did he hear of the Crusades, or Justice, or Gears in general. This was all starting to sound crazy. Eventually, he came to the only logical conclusion he thought possible. "What if… instead of me going back in time…" he began, making sure his thoughts were straight. "… What if I actually travelled to a parallel world? Have you ever heard of the Continuum Shift?" Both Sol and Sin shook their heads. "No, can't say I have…" the eldest of the group spoke up. "Basically…" Ragna went on, "… It's the idea that there are an infinite number of worlds, holding an infinite number of possibilities that can happen in each world. Maybe I just got sucked into another plane of existence…"

The brunette swordsman crossed his arms as he stood, the fire illuminating his masculine figure. "Sounds plausible… Do you know what you were doing before you got here?"

Ragna shook his head. "No… I don't remember at all."

Sol brought a hand up to his chin in thought. "Hrm… There's a colony near here, maybe half a day's travel, if that. One of the elders there may be able to help us."

The other two nodded in agreement. "That settles it. We'll set out tomorrow then." Sin said, clapping his hands together. Sol gave a thumbs-up, then added, "Get some rest. We'll need it for what's coming."

"Wait, what's coming?" Ragna asked.

"We won't know 'til it comes, I guess."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Heavy Day

The next day, the trio was making its way towards the colony that Sol had mentioned the night prior, crossing the ruined landscape for hours until the colony came into view. It didn't seem like much in the distance, but things rarely do from so far away. "Just a short while longer…" said Sol, reassuring the other two. "Another hour or so and we'll be there." "Well that's good…" Ragna complained. "… I don't think I'd be able to make it much farther in this heat." Sin quirked an eyebrow as he looked over at the newcomer. "Well why do you wear that big jacket then?" "I don't exactly have a place to store it, now do I?" the white haired man snapped back. Sol turned to face the both of them. "Would you two just shut the hell up?! Seriously, as if one punk-ass kid wasn't bad enough." After Sol was done barking at the two younger men, the group stayed quiet for the next few minutes. Ragna didn't much like being told what to do, but he figured he'd at least listen to what Sol said. After all, he hadn't seen him fight yet, and he sure didn't want to find out just how strong he was the hard way.

Another few moments passed, and the trio came across a pair of men walking the opposite direction, away from the colony. They had matching rough-spun clothes, with black cloths wrapped around their faces. At their sides, each had two short swords holstered. "Marauders…" Sol finally spoke up, as he picked up the details from their chosen attire. "You see a lot of those around these colonies; mainly folks that don't care much for the kind of people that prefer their solitude. Although… I wonder why there aren't more of them."

As the two thieves crossed paths with our heroes, one of them turned to Sol, speaking in a shaking, raspy tone. "Hope you're not planning on going to that colony… There's a demon dwelling there!" The other man stopped and turned towards the group, warning them as well. "It's true! It killed three of us in one fell swoop! If you value your lives, you'd turn back and run away now!" Sol ignored the two men, but Sin and Ragna listened as they kept walking towards their destination. "Demon? You think they're serious?" Ragna asked. He wasn't sure if demons did walk around in this world, so naturally he wanted to get some confirmation. "Dunno… Guess we'll have to go and find out ourselves." Sin said with a shrug.

After another short while of walking, Ragna finally broke the grating silence among the group. "So… Are there, like, actual demons in this world? Or is that just an expression?..." Being unfamiliar with this reality's denizens, it was natural to question the existence of demonic entities. Sol glanced back at the white-haired man. "Typically, it's a matter of opinion." He stated, not exactly being too specific. "It could just be a really strong human, or possibly a Gear. It all depends on perception." Sol's eyes returned to their destination as they continued on. "I know a few people that could be considered demons." Ragna blinked, not sure if he knew any more than he did a few minutes ago. He just shrugged it off, however, and asked another question. "So what do you think we could be dealing with here, Sol?" The elder man shook his head in response. "Well judging from the lack of panicking citizens running from the place, I've got one of two guesses… Either something, or someone, already killed everyone there, or someone is—"

Suddenly, Sol stopped in mid-sentence, halting his movement and started scanning the area. "What is it?" asked Sin, curious as to what would cause the old man to look so cautiously. "Listen…" Sol replied, looking up into the sky around them. At first, it seemed silent, but eventually a light noise could be heard from afar. It was like a low squealing, whistling type of sound. Ragna spun around, and caught a glimpse of what looked like a black dot in the distance. "Uh, guys? What is that?" he asked, pointing at the airborne object. As it approached their position, it made a sudden dive for the ground, and then pulled up at the last second, speeding along towards the heroes while riding parallel with the earth. "Is that a… a… a ROCKET?!" Ragna shouted. "Where the hell did that thing come from?" "Who cares, I'm more worried about where it's going!" Sin replied, his eyes wide with worry. As the missile hurriedly approached them, more and more details became visible on it, making it seem more like a complex machine than a simple warhead system. The device rocketed past the group, knocking the three men off of their feet with sonic-boom force, then sped past them towards the colony. Sin looked up as it charged on. "It's after the colony!" Just as the young blonde spoke, though, the machine stopped using bursts of compressed air within its body, then turned completely around and sped off towards the trio again.

"Augh… Me and my big mouth!"

Ragna jumped up in front of the other two, trying to use his large sword to deflect the weapon. "Carnage…!" However, the white-haired reaper was too slow, and the machine plowed right through his defense, knocking him clear out of the way. The device then spun around again, charging the group a third time. "Let a pro handle this!" Sin said, jumping up and channeling energy into his flagstaff, thinking his speed was enough to deal with this situation.

It wasn't. Instead, Sin ricocheted off of the weapon as well, laid out flat on his back like Ragna.

"Tch, idiots…" Sol scoffed at the two younger men. Again, the missile turned back and attacked, for the fourth time. The brunette stood firmly, gripping his weapon as it began to vibrate with incredible power. "Guuuaaaahhhh!" Sol's body was soon enveloped in red-hot flames, and he thrust his sword-arm forward in a powerful motion. "TYRANT RAVE!" A huge wall of flames appeared between Sol and the machine, just seconds before he would have been hit. Acting as a shield, the fire sent the device sailing over the group, crashing into the ground a short distance away. The three heroes gazed at the flying machine, silently, as if waiting for something to happen next.

"…. Huh… I was really expecting it to, like… explode or something." Ragna said with a sigh, after a moment of wondering.

The three returned to their feet, ready to make their way over to the colony, and started walking to their destination again. They stopped again, however, at the sound of something behind them. They turned warily, seeing the machine slowly rise up from the earth, slowly, as if rising on magnetic force.

"What the—"

A surge of energy then erupted from the device, and compressed air sent dust up all around it. Its chassis shifted, changing shape into something completely different. Its nosecone became a chest piece, with arms and legs appearing from inside the machinery. The heroes' eyes widened at the sight of this transforming monstrosity, as a head and tail both emerged from within.

"S-Sol… What the hell is that?!"

Sol narrowed his eyes, as the machine took a familiar shape… one that only he would recognize. The beastly robot then threw its head back, unleashing a primal, yet mechanical roar that shook the very ground they stood on.

The brunette bounty hunter only managed to utter a single word to his companions.

"… Justice."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Day of Judgment

The metal monstrosity that had appeared before our heroes snarled fiercely as it charged forward, propelled by the jets on its back. Just barely able to dodge, the three fighters split into different directions to avoid the sharp claws that threatened to tear them apart. Ragna remained steady, blocking and parrying the machine's attacks with his sword. Once he saw an opening, he took a mighty swing with his blade, only to have his attack snatched by the beast's tail, which then threw him to the ground with unearthly force. Ragna didn't have time to rest, though, as he rolled out of the way of another set of claws burying themselves into the dirt where he was just lying. Scrambling to his feet, the red-jacketed warrior returned to Sin and Sol, whom have been standing by while he was fighting.

"What the hell is this!? I thought you said Justice was destroyed or whatever!" Ragna said, watching as their assailant ripped its claws out of the ground, whirling around to face the group.

"Sh- … _It_ was!" Sol growled. "Some crazy nutjob must've thought it was a good idea to make a robotic clone—"

Sol's statement was cut short, as the machine once again charged in and slashed wildly at the trio. Jumping back, the brunette examined the attacker, time seemingly standing still, as he remembered his battle with Justice long ago. The armor on this thing was nearly identical, aside from the lack of color on this model. The classic white-and-blue from the original was replaced by an all-encasing metallic gray. Another detail that separated this clone from Justice was the removal of the Gear's flowing crimson-stained hair. Perhaps an aesthetic at the time of creation, Justice's hair meant something else to Sol; a semblance of something he'll never see again. Sol gritted his teeth, as flames began to rise from his sword and encircle his body. His anger reaching a boiling point, the eldest of the three stepped forward, challenging the metal beast.

"Special protocol Fireseal unlocked, passcode 'Junkyard Dog'. Killswitch: engage!"

As Sol spoke these words, his weapon's compartments opened up, revealing a special mechanism inside, whirring and grinding as if starting a massive engine. Steam poured out of the sword's innards, and the blade soon became as red-hot as Sol's vest, the flames now wildly surrounding his entire body. "Output now at 50%!" Fire began spouting forth from the tip of his weapon, and Sol slammed the edge of the blade down to the ground, creating a trail of burning earth leading from his to his target.

"SAVAGE FANG!"

The robotic clone barely had time to throw its arms up in defense, before being completely engulfed in Sol's explosive attack. A massive vortex of flame and raw energy swirled around the monster, before finally dissipating into a thick cloud of smoke and dust. Sin and Ragna, who had been watching from a distance, watched as their partner unleashed his fury upon the adversary. "Woo! That thing is toast!" Sin jumped up and exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air in celebration. Ragna couldn't believe what he had just seen. It was no wonder why he didn't see Sol fight much- also a good thing that no challenges were made between the two.

Before the group could continue on their journey, however, they were stopped by a metallic growling sound. The trio turned to face the cloud of smoke, which was suddenly dispersed by a bright electric field, evidently protecting the robot inside. Virtually unscathed by Sol's attack, the machine leered menacingly at the heroes, charging more of its energy into its bulky shoulder armor. Sol knew exactly what was going to happen next. "Alright, next move's the big one. Get ready to jump out of the way when I say…" "Why don't we just rush it at once?!" Ragna butted in. "Because that energy field will fry whatever brain cells are left, if you're lucky." When the beastly machine finished charging, the ports on its shoulders opened up, revealing two heavy energy cannons, which then concentrated into a huge surge of pure energy, firing a massive beam at the group. "NOW!" Sol shouted, and all three ducked out of the way just before they were caught in the blast. The robot then slumped over slightly, steam shooting out from its back. "It needs to recharge. Now's the time to strike!"

Sol led the charge against the weakened enemy, throwing a powerful punch into its face, causing it to stumble back. Sin came up next, speeding around Sol while charging red lightning all around his body. "Ride the Lightning!" He zigzagged around, then slammed head-on into the clone's body, sending it back to where Ragna was waiting, his sword at the ready. With a heavy slash, the white-haired male stopped the beast in its tracks, then aimed the tip of his weapon at his target's already-damaged chest portion. "This'll sting!" Then, activating a mechanism on his sword, the handle extended, forcefully spiking the machine into the air and causing a large chink in its armor. While airborne, the beast was able to recover its balance, but was quickly met with another powerful blow from Sol, who successfully buried his sword deep into the damaged part of its armor.

"Nothing but trash…" Sol growled under his breath, pulling the machine closer to himself, seeing it eye to eye. "You're nothing like Justice. Not even worth being called a copycat!" The Gear's clone slowly lifted one of its clawed hands, ready to strike down on Sol, but was quickly dispatched with another of Sol's powerful moves. The blade of Sol's Fireseal spread open, tearing the armor away with ease, and then sending forth a great explosion inside the machine's chest cavity, blowing the clone to pieces, and leaving a pile of scrap where it was stood. The brunette remained still, his weapon steaming from that last assault. The two stepped over to him, as he knelt down to pick up the fallen robot's head, holding it in hand.

"Wow… Got a little emotional there, 'ey old man?" Sin said with a chuckle as Sol inspected the part in his grasp. Ragna glanced back and forth between the two of them, then patted the back of his own head as he interjected. "Still, you handled it like a pro! You knew just what to do, big guy." "Sure…" Sol replied, dropping his arm to the side as he turned his back on the younger men, facing towards the colony. "We should get going. We lost a lot of time fighting that thing."

Without another word, the trio marched along, on their way to their destination, leaving behind the remains of their latest enemy.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Momentary Life

A short while after their battle with the monstrous robot, Sol, Sin, and Ragna eventually made it to the colony that they had been trying to reach all day now. Even up close it didn't seem like much to look at; it seemed like more of a campsite than a town. Ragna quirked an eyebrow, then glanced over at Sol. "There are tents and huts everywhere… Are they nomadic?" "Only when they have to be." Sol replied. "The main 'colony' is based in what's left of Japan, after the country was leveled by the Gears before the Crusades. Nowadays, groups of people like this branch out, starting new lives in new places." The group walked deeper into town, examining the carts and wagons selling goods and produce. "However, a lot of other people try to take advantage of these good folk, much like those brigands we saw on our way here. Harassment like that forces these small groups to move around a lot, so they can avoid such things."

The trio arrived at what seemed to be the town square, where the majority of larger huts and tents were set up. Sin looked around and propped his flagstaff resting on his shoulder, then scratched his head in confusion. "Ehh…. Those marauders we ran into mentioned a demon attacking them…" he said, noting the people around them going about their lives as normally as possible. "I don't see anything that would even relate to a demon. Just normal people…" Sol surveyed the area as well, seeing exactly the same as what Sin was seeing. "You're right… Then something, or someone, is protecting these people." The brunette then fixed his eyes on a particular building, as a smirk spread across his lips. "… And I think I know just who it is."

With that, the group made their way through the central plaza, coming to what seemed to be the largest hut in the colony's off-branch. From what they could see inside, the walls were lined with ornate paintings, banners, and other treasures of old Japanese culture. On the front steps, though, is what Sol's attention was set on; a woman, dressed in a traditional black kimono, lined with pink trim and decorated with an equally pink lotus design near the bottom. Her peach colored hair hung down over her left eye, concealing half of her face. A katana sat on her left side, resting in its sheath on the top step. The woman's left hand held a pipe, white smoke slowly rising from her mouth after each exhalation. Her eyes trailed up from the steps, the pink-ish iris of her visible eye focusing on the three visitors before her, and a faint grin formed on her lips.

"Well, well… If it isn't the 'Immoral Flame', Sol Badguy…"

"Long time no see, Baiken." Sol replied with an almost gentlemanly tone. Sin and Ragna looked over at each other, then back to the other two, their eyes wide with surprise. "You know her?" the blonde male asked his partner in arms. Sol looked over his shoulder at the young man. "We've crossed paths a few times before. She's known as the 'Demon of the East', and she's earned my respect time and time again." "Waitaminute…" Ragna interrupted, raising a finger in the air. "So you're telling me that _she's_ the 'demon' that those guys were talking about?!" Baiken chuckled at the moniker that she had been called since her early days of fighting. "If you're talking about those assholes that threatened to pillage our colony and burn us to the ground, then yes." she said, before taking another deep inhale from her pipe.

"Look, Baiken… as much as I would like to say we came here to just chitchat, we actually have something to ask of you." Sol said bluntly.

"Oh?" the supposed samurai replied. "What is it then?"

"This guy here, Ragna…" Sol continued, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at Ragna. "He's not exactly 'from around here', if you catch my meaning… We were wondering if you had someone that might have some answers about how he got here. A shaman, soothsayer, whatever you got."

Baiken shook her head in response. "Sorry, don't have any of those here…" She then stopped, as if suddenly remembering something. "Actually, someone new showed up the other day… A girl, said the same thing you just told me. She's been hanging around the market since she appeared. Wearing a brown cloak, can't really miss her."

The three men nodded, but before they decided to take off, Sol had something else to show is friend. "Also, on our way here, we ran into this…" he said, dropping the severed head of the machine they had fought just a short while prior at the woman's feet. Baiken's expression remained the same, but the look in her eyes displayed her discontent for the weapon. "That face… I'll never forget that monster. But this isn't Justice." she said, setting her pipe down next to her, then leaning down to pick up the part before her. Ragna crossed his arms as he spoke up. "You've seen it? Justice, I mean." The woman nodded, then lifted up the hair that was covering her face. "I've still got the scars to prove it." Her left eye bore a horrendous scar, and the eye itself was glassy-white, obviously blinded from before. "I was just a little girl when Japan was invaded by Justice and its army of Gears. I couldn't fight back… I could just watch as my home was burned and left for ruin. They took my left eye, and my right arm…" She then directed her gaze at her right sleeve, the fabric dancing emptily as a light breeze blew through the town. Baiken grimaced, then let her hair down again as her gaze fell onto the ground below her. "My apologies… I tend to get a little emotional when the subject is brought up."

"Understandably…" Sol said with a nod.

Baiken shook the memories from her mind, then fixed her eye upon the robot's head once again. "Looks like something the Bureau would put together… I've seen machines like this before that belonged to them." "That makes sense…" Sol crossed his arms in front of his chest and closed his eyes. "The Post-War Administration Bureau… I wonder if they're the ones who put the bounties out for all of us." "That would explain why that Justice wannabe attacked us then." Sin added with a huff. Ragna, of course, had no idea what they were talking about, but he decided to leave out any questions he had at the time for a later time, possibly when they figured out more details regarding this 'bureau' and their bounties, and if it all tied together.

Sol ran his fingers through his hair, then looked down at his acquaintance, giving her a thumbs-up. "Well, thanks for the info. We're gonna go look for that person you mentioned earlier." The woman nodded. "Very well. Feel free to rest up and grab something to eat while you're here. Just tell whoever it is to put it on my tab." She gave the trio a grin, then retrieved her belongings and started to take off. Sol then stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "By the way… where's that Anji Mito fella? Normally he's hanging around you like he's your shadow or something." Baiken simply shook her head. "Dunno… He's been gone since we decided to branch this group of people away from the colony." She then looked over her shoulder back up to him. "If you see him, let me know." She then started walking off again. Sol then smiled back at her, and then turned to the younger two. "C'mon. Let's find this girl and find out what she knows." The other two silently agreed, then followed their elder into the market area.

It didn't take too long for the group to find who they were looking for. The young girl stood out like a sore thumb, her tattered brown cloak concealing most of her features, save for the fair skin of her face. Her eyes barely peeked from under the darkness of her hood, glaring at one of the market stand owners. "Oh come on! I just want a little food!" she shouted, drawing attention to herself and the situation. "I said no! No money means no food, especially to outsiders!" The girl groaned, then turned to look at the trio staring down at her. "What are you three looking at?! You all pedophiles or somethin'?!" All three of the men grew wide-eyed, but only Ragna reacted with a loud moan of disbelief. "You gotta be shitting me…" he said, a sour taste in his mouth as he realized who this was. "Of all the people from our world, it HAD to be YOU!" The girl looked up at the white-haired male directly, then moaned just as loudly. "Ragna the Bloodedge?! You starting a pedo fan club or something? Or are these guys your gay lovers?"

The girl then turned her head, then spoke softly as if whispering to herself. "That was a pretty rude thing to say, Luna… Maybe you should apologize."

"No way! These guys are total creeps! They're probably thinkin' about putting their dirty hands on us right now!"

Sol's eye twitched at that last remark. "You got a lot of nerve, little girly…" he growled, but the girl whipped back around and pointed back at him. "And what's with all the belts old man? You into bondage too, sicko?" Sin couldn't help but snort at that last comment, doing his best to hide his amusement. Ragna palmed his face, grabbing Sol's forearm before the older man could knock the kid's lights out for good.

"As much as I'd like to see this whiny little brat cry in the mud, we've gotta get some information out of her…" He then glared down at the young girl. "Alright Platinum, spill it… What do you know about how we got here?"

The girl lifted her hood, her green heart-shaped irises locking onto Ragna's eyes, a scowl spread across her face. "How the hell should I know?! I was gonna ask you the same thing!"

The three men all had the same expression; utter disappointment at the fact that they were no closer to the truth. "Well that helped…" Sin said in annoyance. "We have _got_ to find something…" Ragna added.

**A/N: Sorry about the lengthy chapter this time around… Just wanted to get this whole thing out of the way so we can get on to the next chapter. **

**That said, tell me what you think so far! I love to read reviews, so send them my way!**

**Also, let me know what other characters you'd like to see here. I've already got ideas for the next few chapters, but feel free to pitch in whatever suggestions you might have!**

**I look forward to hearing from you guys!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Dementia

The Phantom City.

Though it was a large city, only a few people could be seen to actually reside here now. Time seemed to stand still in this strange place. Mysterious blue crystals appeared to grow from the landscape, encompassing the ground, streets, and even the tall buildings. Some people believe that they were caused by the presence of the Gears during the Crusades, as their magic may have corrupted the very land itself as they fought. Others say that it is due to lingering spirits, manifesting themselves as these translucent gems that cover the city. The same people believe that these spirits are malevolent, and that anyone that stays here for too long is bound to lose their minds entirely, thus earning this relic of a lost civilization its name.

Two strangers wandered through the streets, making their way through town as quickly as possible, heeding the warnings of those that had informed them of this place. The pair made their way into a large building, empty and abandoned, seeing it as a way to get through the city without attracting unwanted attention. Once inside, they stopped to take a break for a few minutes, resting on some piles of rubble in the darkened ruins. "We should be fine here for the time being." the brunette woman said, her squirrel tail twitching anxiously behind her. Her blonde companion sighed, tucking loose strands of her long hair behind her ear. "Makoto…" she said, her emerald eyes gazing up at the broken ceiling, admiring the rays of light that shone down through the darkened room. "… What do you think will happen when we finally see Tsubaki?" The squirrel beastkin only shook her head in response. "I wish I knew, Noel…" Her voice was filled with worry and doubt, a great contrast to her normally cheerful and optimistic self.

Noel's eyes sank back down to the floor. It had been a long while since they both arrived in this strange world, even longer since they had seen their long-time friend Tsubaki. Not knowing where they were also made things more difficult for the pair. The brunette sighed, sliding down from her perch and landing on her feet. "Let's get going. This place is giving me the creeps…" she said, not dwelling on the fact that they were without a paddle in this situation. Noel nodded, returning to her feet as well and joining her partner as they wandered deeper into the dark building.

Unknown to the two young women, though, a shadowy figure had its eyes locked onto them, watching as they passed through the area. Sticking to the cover of shadows, it tailed them as they made their way towards the other side of the building, keeping sure to stay out of their sights. None the wiser, the pair of Noel and Makoto continued on, thinking only of the evil spirits that could be plotting against them at the moment.

Moving along, Noel glanced around the vicinity, taking in the scene of the broken down structure around them. "What kind of place do you think this used to be, Makoto?" "Hm... Looks like some sort of office building or something… Still kind of empty, though." the brunette replied, her chestnut colored eyes surveying the area as well, more so looking out for any threats as she led Noel through. "Yeah, sounds about ri—WAAHH!"

Makoto looked back at Noel, who had apparently tripped over something and landed on her face, her arms and legs spread out from her body comically. "Owww…."the blonde girl whimpered as she lay on the floor. "Oh brother… C'mon Noel, you've really gotta look where you're—" Makoto paused, looking at what was wrapped around her companion's foot. "Sorry Makoto, I just—huh?" Noel looked back behind her, and saw a human hand, its fingers wrapped around her ankle as if grabbing her.

The blonde's reaction could best be described as the phrase, "_freaking out_."

Jumping up and waving her arms around in the air, Noel shouted at the top of her lungs, hiding behind her friend as she shook with fear. Makoto rolled her eyes, and then knelt down to look at the body lying on the ground next to them. Noel glanced over the beastkin's shoulder, trying to see for herself as well. A man in a black full-body suit, with long blonde hair draped over his face, remained motionless as Makoto reached over and placed a hand on his arm. "He's cold… probably been here a while." she muttered quietly, just loud enough for Noel to hear her. "Y-You mean… he's…" the young woman stuttered, her face growing pale. The brunette nodded in response. "Noellers, I know you've seen dead bodies before… You should be used to it by now." Her response sounded rather cold, but she only made it seem that way so she could cover up the fact that she herself hated seeing dead bodies. She was just trying to reassure her friend that she had nothing to worry about now.

"C'mon, let's get going. Nothing we can do for him now." Makoto said, standing and turning to her companion. The blonde nodded, and slowly began following behind. As they journeyed on, Noel felt a sudden chill running up her spine, causing her entire body to shiver. "Wh-Whoa… Is it c-cold in here all of a sudden, or is it j-just me?"

Makoto shrugged her shoulders. "I feel fine. Maybe it is just you."

"I agree with her."

"Well, maybe that's because you're bo—"

Noel cut her statement short, and immediately the two women halted their movement. They knew there wasn't anyone other than the two of them, so naturally the mysterious third voice had them worried. Slowly they turned around to look, not sure what they would be met with.

The corpse from before was now standing directly behind Noel, his hair now parted to reveal a red blindfold covering his eyes. Although upright, he wasn't actually standing at all; his feet hovered just inches above the floor. The girls' eyes widened with fear and surprise, and Noel slowly backed away. "Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Zombie-ee!" A smirk appeared on the man's face, a low chuckle reverberating in his throat. "You're afraid. Good… As you should be."

Makoto jumped in front of Noel, brandishing her cross-shaped wrist weapons. "Stay back! I'll beat you to a pulp if you come closer!" The dead man chuckled more loudly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Talk a big game all you want… Your voice is still shaking." he said, as a strange black shadow began to circle around his feet, slowly crawling its way up his legs and around his body. The squirrel beastkin lowered her guard, more so out of fear than anything else. Suddenly, a huge black arm appeared from the ground, smacking Makoto out of the way, the impact echoing throughout the empty room. Noel stood still, frozen in terror as she watched her friend swatted away as if she were a gnat. Makoto, clenching her gut as she reeled in pain on the floor, looked back over at Noel.

"Noel… RUN!" she managed to shout in between bated breaths.

The blonde girl glanced back over at the floating corpse, her green eyes wavering uncontrollably, before turning heel and sprinting away as fast as she could.

The man in the shadows only grinned more. "Go ahead and run. I love a good game of cat and mouse."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Feel a Fear

Running through the corridors of the abandoned building, Noel fled from the strange creature in the other room. She made her way into what seemed like a banquet hall, and slammed the double doors behind her shut. The girl stopped to catch her breath, and sweat dripped from her blonde hair. She felt awful for leaving her friend at the mercy of that monster, but she felt there was nothing that she could do to help her. "Oh… I hope Makoto's okay…" she said quietly to herself, thinking the worst possible has happened. "Snap out of it Noel! She… She can handle it! Yeah!" The blonde shook her head, trying to remove any negative thoughts at the moment.

Suddenly, Noel felt a heavy knock on the door she was leaning on. She stepped away, looking back at the thin wooden barrier between herself and whatever waited on the other side. Reaching behind her lower back, Noel drew her twin pistols, Arcus Diabolus: Bolverk, and pointed them at the door, waiting for her assailant to come through. What she saw after that, though, was not at all what she was expecting; the doors being ripped to shreds by what looked like three massive dogs' heads, attached to the ends of giant black tentacles, snapping hungrily in Noel's direction. The girl hesitated, panic and despair settling deep in her chest. Then, with hands shaking uncontrollably, Noel fired her guns in rapid succession, piercing the shadowy beasts multiple times.

However, her efforts were in vain, as the creatures simply ignored the shots, the bullets passing right through their bodies into the walls behind them. In the center of the mass of black shadow, the blind man from before appeared, wearing an evil smirk on his lips as he seemingly stared directly at Noel. The black tentacles seem to link behind his back, and the girl mustered all she could to lift her guns again, this time aiming right at the man's body, placing a well-aimed shot in the center of his chest. The blind man reeled, only for a moment, then returned to his stance with an even bigger grin on his face.

"A bold attempt, young lady… but you can't kill what's already dead!"

Noel's green eyes grew wide with fear, and she fired another volley of rounds in desperation, before turning to run away again. This time, though, the three animalistic heads charged forward, as if racing to get to the girl first. Noel was able to nimbly dodge the assault, leaping and bounding over the attacking beasts with ease, while simultaneously firing more shots into them, hoping that she could at least slow them down. 'I won't be able to keep this up for long!' she thought to herself, as more sweat poured down from her brow.

The man remained motionless, with his arms crossed in front of his chest as he watched the woman deftly dodge all of his attacks. "I grow weary of this charade…" he muttered, raising one hand above his head in a commanding fashion. Then, one of the three heads swooped low, lunging towards Noel's legs. The man anticipated her to jump over it, and when she did, he ordered the other two heads to attack from both sides while she was in the air, attempting to catch her in between them. The woman reacted quickly, more out of panic than actual skill, spinning to avoid the two sets of teeth, while firing her weapons rapidly into the creatures' gaping mouths. Losing their form, the beasts withdrew into the shadows, leaving only the man standing in the doorway.

"Not bad…" he said with a smirk. "…but not quite good enough!" He then knelt down and slammed the palm of his hand onto the floor, sending more shadows out from his body, the inky blackness sliding across the ground at high speed. As they reached Noel's location, several drills formed from them, looking to puncture the woman's flesh. Noel backflipped and managed to avoid the sharp drills, but found herself pinned against the wall, facing a sea of black points ahead of her. Thinking fast, she looked up at the ceiling, noticing its weakened support structure.

"Activate Zero-Gun: Fenrir!"

At her command, her Bolverk pistols magically transformed into a large gatling-style machine gun, and the barrel immediately began rotating. She started firing, and in turn the shaded man surrounded himself with a shield of black shadows. However, Noel wasn't aiming at him; rather, she directed her fire towards the ceiling, dealing enough damage to wear it down and eventually cause it to collapse, crushing the drills and burying the man in the process. The girl stayed close to the wall, avoiding the rubble that fell around her. When it was all over, all that was left was a huge pile of concrete and iron, and the sunlight shining through the enormous hole that was now in the ceiling. Whatever shadows remained above the rubble soon retreated under it, hiding from the light that shone down.

Noel breathed a sigh of relief, and then began making her way over to the other side of the room, wanting to see what had become of her friend. As she passed over the detritus, however, a black hand burst forth from the mound, wrapping its claws around the woman's throat. Startled, Noel dropped her Bolverk, and the pistols rolled helplessly to the ground below. From within the rubble, the man emerged, revealing his terrifying true form; a black humanoid, with a gargoyle's head and wings. He lifted Noel into the air, squeezing her airway and cutting her breathing short.

"I know they said that I need to bring you back alive…" he said with a growl. "…but I think you'd be more suitable as a new host body! Besides, accidents happen, right?" The creature opened its mouth, as if attempting to swallow Noel whole. The girl closed her eyes tightly. She expected the worst. 'Oh no, I don't want it to end like this!' she shouted in her mind, as her consciousness slowly began fading away.

However, the end never came. Just as the beast was about to consume Noel, a thin wire appeared from behind him, wrapping tightly around his neck and pulling him back, causing him to drop Noel onto the mound. The girl coughed and gagged as the oxygen poured back into her lungs, and she looked up to see the black creature being strangled by an unseen savior of some sort.

"Oh Eddie, baby… you don't listen well, do you?" another woman's voice could be heard saying. The beast struggled to get free, but the cord wound even tighter around his throat, until eventually, his head was severed clean off. Noel gasped, cupping her hand over her mouth. There was no blood when the monster lost his head; rather, it just seemed to be a solid mass of shadows. The head fell down onto the rubble, looking up at the top of the pile, where a woman's figure could be seen.

"How dare you interfere!" he shouted somehow. The woman shrugged and replied, "You did this to yourself, sugar… Now, don't bother getting back up, okay?" The darkened figure then turned her head down to Noel. "Hey cutie. Wanna play~?"

The blonde gulped hard, then turned and made a dive for her pistols. Before she could reach them, however, she was interrupted by a huge blast of sonic energy, which sent her flying into the nearby wall. The girl grasped her head as she laid on the ground, a trail of blood now running down her face, and she weakly looked up at the woman approaching her. Her vision faded, and the last thing she remembered seeing was a pair of red high-heeled boots standing over her before she passed out.

In the distance, the same darkened creature from before waited in the shadows, watching the events as they transpired before its glowing red eyes, as if recording what all had happened between Noel and the monster she fought against. Once the other woman had disappeared with her captive, the cloaked figure sneaked back into the cover of shadows, hiding, waiting for someone else to possibly wander into this haunted domain.


End file.
